... Since it first debuted as Notre Dame’s official mascot in 1965, the leprechaun has been exclusively male and mostly white. That will change this year, however, as Notre Dame announced Tuesday that, for the first time ever, a female will serve as one of the school’s three official mascots for the 2019-20 school year.

Lynnette Wukie, a film, television and theatre major who hails from Elyria, Ohio, and Midview High School (Go Middies!), has been selected to break the gender barrier at the South Bend school as she enters her junior year. “Who says the Fighting Irish can’t fight like a girl?” Wukie stated in an application video that ultimately led to her selection.

In addition to Wukie, rising junior Samuel Jackson and rising sophomore Conal Fagan will serve as the other two official leprechaun mascots at various sporting events at the school, including football and men’s and women’s basketball among others.

Wukie and Jackson will also become the second and third African-Americans to play the role of leprechaun, joining Mike Brown, who broke the mascot color barrier at the school in 1999. Additionally, Fagan, a native of Northern Ireland, last season became the first native Irishman to play the part of mascot....

Never mind that "Notre Dame" literally means "Our Mother".

"When you can make people believe absurdities, you can make them commit atrocities."-- Voltaire

They're cheerleaders/maybe gymnasts in green suits and knicks ferpetesake. Who cares what race/gender they are? I was afraid they were going to make the female and the black guy wear a fake orange beard. That would have been weird. And hell, I doubt all the football team is really "Irish" either. They might be offended, but as it turns out if you told them their team is portrayed by a little fairy, you'd be correct.

The story about it on CBS news said it took 200 years to complete the construction.

Will they be able to raise it up in 3 days?

Only if the pope gets involved and brings his magic staff, but my take is that they'll hold out for several months before even beginning the project so they will be able to suck up all those monetary donations.

Heavy rainfall totaling 2 to 3 inches has fallen in the past three hours across the northwestern half of Henderson County and is already causing significant runoff, stream response and minor flooding of low-lying areas from Etowah to Horse Shoe to Mountain Home to Fletcher, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said just before 1 p.m.

Rainfall is occurring and will persist across Henderson County for several more hours, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Rainfall may exceed 5 inches in some locations by mid-afternoon, exacerbating flood concerns.

A flash flood warning has been issued for Henderson County until 5:15 p.m.

About 3,580 customers now without power in Henderson County - 2,500 in the Flat Rock area alone. Another 500 are located around the Fruitland Road/North Henderson High area.

UPDATE at 12:30 p.m.:

Hendersonville Fire Chief Joseph Vindigni said crews in the city have responded to two water rescues.

One was along Seventh Avenue involving a vehicle that drove into a flooded ditch.

The other incident involved a motorist who drove through a closed road barricade at the Beverly Hanks Center.

Flash flooding continues to be a concern, he said. With more rain coming, other roads will be closed as conditions worsen.

Residents are encouraged to stay off the roads, as many are covered in water flowing across the pavement from side roads.

Even roads that don’t traditionally flood are under water, officials said....

We have always had hurricane remnant flooding, but it feels like this "normal" rainstorm flooding is becoming way more frequent. The local creek is far out of its banks.

"When you can make people believe absurdities, you can make them commit atrocities."-- Voltaire

Twenty bucks says she "gets religion" and "gives her life to Christ" before half the sentence is up. Another ten bucks says lots of people like her will believe it. No bet on whether FEMA gets any of its money back.

Twenty bucks says she "gets religion" and "gives her life to Christ" before half the sentence is up. Another ten bucks says lots of people like her will believe it. No bet on whether FEMA gets any of its money back.

White, Republican, bleach blonde, racist, West Virginia.

Twenty bucks says she had "religion" and "gave her life to Christ" before she ripped off FEMA and before she referred to then-first lady Michelle Obama as an “ape in heels”.

In her plea agreement, Taylor also agreed to pay $18,149.04 in restitution. Prosecutors said Thursday that she has paid the money.

Plus:

She was also fined $10,000.

I'll bet she comes up with it. Otherwise she risks seizure of her entirely undamaged home, including the multiple crosses hanging on the walls and "portrait" of White Jesus.

"When you can make people believe absurdities, you can make them commit atrocities."-- Voltaire

Twenty bucks says she "gets religion" and "gives her life to Christ" before half the sentence is up. Another ten bucks says lots of people like her will believe it. No bet on whether FEMA gets any of its money back.